Jenna plans to use her scholarship to study Elementary Education at Indiana University. She has aspired to be an elementary teacher for as long as she can remember. She says in her essay that she aims to, “influence students’ lives much like my own teachers impacted mine. Teaching isn’t just a profession to me; it’s a calling, offering the opportunity to empower my students to recognize their potential and inspire them to do better each day. My career goal is to cultivate a classroom atmosphere where every student feels valued, safe, challenged and supported. I aim for my students to grasp that achievements require effort and that dreams are worth pursuing.
“Throughout my life, my Christian faith has played a significant role in my decision-making. It has provided me a moral framework and a set of values that have shaped me into the person I am today. The first thing it has taught me is the importance of honesty and integrity in both my academic and personal life, avoiding dishonest behaviors.
“Furthermore, my Christian faith has instilled in me the importance of demonstrating compassion and empathy towards others. This has motivated me to extend a helping hand to those in need, provide support to my peers, and actively engage in kindness and generosity. I have immersed myself in community service endeavors and participated in initiatives aimed at fostering positive societal change.
“My Christian convictions have inspired me to pursue excellence and be diligent in all my endeavors. I am driven to hard work, overcome obstacles, and approach my aspirations with unwavering dedication. This mindset has propelled me to achieve academic success, engage in extracurricular activities, and relentlessly pursue personal advancement. Additionally, my faith has bestowed upon me a profound sense of hope and resilience during challenging circumstances, the belief in trusting God’s plan.”
Jenna has been involved with harness racing at the Allen County Fair since she was in elementary school. As well as helping her family with their horses, she helped in various other capacities such as running checks to the speed office, shuttling trainers and families to the winners circle, and blanketing horses in the winner’s circle.
Lisa Schwartz says, “I have personally worked with Jenna at the Allen County Fair during the harness racing. She is a gifted conversationalist, a pleasure to be around, and she is very engaged in the harness racing events. The first time I met Jenna she was about 14 or 15 years old. We were short of help for the harness racing at the Allen County Fair and Jenna volunteered to be the assistant clerk.”